I have today signed an
Executive Order providing for the establishment of a
Peace Corps on a temporary pilot basis.
I'm also sending to Congress a message [pro]posing authorization of a
permanent Peace Corps.

This Corps will be a pool of trained men
and women sent overseas by the United States Government or through private
institutions and organizations to help foreign countries meet their
urgent needs for skilled manpower. It is our hope to have
between 500
to 1000 people in the field by the end of this year.

We will send
Americans abroad who are qualified to do a job. We will send those
abroad who are committed to the concept which motivates the Peace Corps.
It will not be easy: None of the men and women will be paid a salary.
They will live at the same level as the citizens of the country which
they're sent to -- doing the same work, eating the same food, speaking
the same language. We're going to put particular emphasis on those men
and women who have skills in teaching, agriculture, and in health.

I'm hopeful that it will
be a source of satisfaction to Americans and a contribution to world
peace.